StarterRussia’s Pollution problem

Watch the following clip and consider: Some What When Where Why How questions

that you could ask about it.

Recap on late lesson:

What are the main environmental problems in Russia?

Environmental Conditions in Russia

In the 1990s, after decades of environmental neglect, the government categorized about 40 percent of Russia's territory (an area about three-quarters as large as the United States) as under high ecological stress.

Each of Russia's natural zones has suffered problems of specific kinds.

Oil spills, leaks in natural gas pipelines, and the flaring of natural gas destroy ecosystems,

In the taiga, or forest, zone, the overcutting of trees poses the greatest threat, particularly in northern European Russia.

Urbanization and air and water pollution also are problems.

Russian Oil and Natural gas

Russia accounts for around 25 percent of the world's production of oil and natural gas and possesses large reserves of both fuels. This abundance has made Russia virtually self-sufficient in energy and a large-scale exporter of fuels.

Russian Timber

The forests of Siberia contain an estimated one-fifth of the world's timber, mainly conifers.

In 1994 about 22 percent of the world's forests and 50 percent of its coniferous forests were in Russia, covering an area larger than the continental United States.

Inefficient lumbering procedures cause unnecessary loss of timber; as much as 40 percent of Russia's harvested trees never go to the mill, and unsystematic clear-cutting prevents productive regrowth.

Minerals

Russia possesses rich reserves of iron ore, manganese, chromium, nickel, platinum, titanium, copper, tin, lead, tungsten, diamonds, phosphates, and gold,

The iron ore deposits, close to the Ukrainian border in the southwest, are believed to contain one-sixth of the world's total reserves.

Russia also is self-sufficient in nearly all major industrial raw materials and has at least some reserves of every valuable minerals

Air Quality

Russia's air still rates among the most polluted in the world. According to one estimate, only 15 percent of the urban population breathes air that is not harmful.

Most vehicles in Russia continue to burn leaded fuel. In the early 1990s, motor vehicles contributed about one-third of total hazardous emissions in urban and industrial areas.

Water Quality

In recent years, officials have identified many of Russia's rivers as carriers of waterborne diseases, epidemics of which were especially frequent

75 percent of Russia's surface water is now polluted, 50 percent of all water is not potable according to quality standards

An estimated 8 percent of wastewater is fully treated prior to dumping in waterways; most water treatment facilities are obsolete, inefficient, and generally overwhelmed by the volume of material that now passes through them,

• Mind map with a partner – what could be done to solve these problems?

What can be done about Russia’s Pollution?

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br3KnHm3-eM

• Aral Sea:

• Energy efficiency

Task:

You are going to write a letter to the President of Russia to explain why you think it is important that he stops the rainforest being cut down.

The president’s name is Vladimir Putin

You need to mention: Facts and figures to help back up your argumentExplain why Russia’s pollution is a problem for LOCAL and a GLOBAL

scale.Explain how it is possible for Russia to use it’s resources more

efficiently and cause less damage to the environment.

Additional detail and case studies that could be applied to Russia

Sustainable solutions case studies:

http://www.biodiversity.ru/coastlearn/tourism-eng/casestudies_kingisepp.html http://www.air-n-water.com/air-pollution.htm (See the ‘Ways to Help Keep the

Air Cleaner‘ section)http://globalwarmingisreal.com/2012/03/22/the-benefits-of-reforestation/ http://inhabitat.com/bedzed-beddington-zero-energy-development-london/

Problems in Russia: http://countrystudies.us/russia/25.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2512697.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3007228.stm

Mark scheme

Level 4You locate Russia.you describe the ways in which Russia causes pollution.you describe the impact of the pollution on people and the environmentYou describe some of the things Russia could do to reduce pollution. Level 5You describe and explain why Russia causes pollution. you describe and explain the impact of the pollution on people and the environmentYou describe and explain some of the things Russia could do to reduce pollution.

Level 6You describe and explain the impact of Russia’s pollution for the people of Russia and for the world.You describe and explain why Russia might struggle to reduce pollution and still develop. Level 7You describe and explain some of the things Russia could do to develop without causing as much

pollution. You explain how the use of the energy can be sustainable and suggest solutions to the problem. You explain how economic activity has lead to Russia producing unsustainable amounts of pollution.